Dr Taher Murder: Trial resumes after four months

Staff Correspondent, Rajshahi

Trial in the Dr S Taher murder case resumed at Rajshahi Divisional Speedy Trial Tribunal yesterday after nearly four months.

Judge ATM Mesbahuddoula of the tribunal yesterday fixed January 6 to January 10 for recording deposition of the prosecution witnesses when the case documents were placed before his court.

Out of 60 prosecution witnesses, depositions of 29 PWs have already been recorded, court officials said.

The court of District and Sessions Judge AR Masud stayed the proceedings of the case for an indefinite period on October 7 following an erroneous gazette notification of the government.

The government in its September 17 gazette notification opted for holding trial of the case by the divisional speedy trial tribunal.

Trial of the case started at the public safety tribunal with framing charges against six people, including RU teacher Dr Mia Mohammad Mohiuddin and former RU Shibir president Mahbubul Alam Salehi, on June 18.

Earlier, Public Safety Tribunal Judge Jahangir Alam Mollah refused to conduct the case citing "unavoidable circumstances" and transferred it to the district judge's court on August 20.

Prof Dr S Taher, a senior teacher of geology and mining department of Rajshahi University, was killed on February 1 in 2006 and police recovered his body from a sewer near his house on the university campus on February 3.

According to prosecution, Dr Mohiuddin of same department and Salehi are the masterminds in the killing.

Three suspects -- Jahangir, Salam and Nazmul -- in their separate judicial confessional statements confirmed Mohiuddin and Salehi's involvement. Azimuddin Munshi, father of Jahangir and Salam, is another accused in the case.